AN urgent appeal has been issued for a storage area for Crediton’s community transport scheme vehicles.

Mid Devon Mobility, the registered charity, which provides safe, affordable door-to-door transport for vulnerable people, such as the elderly, disabled and rurally isolated people in the rural parishes of the Mid Devon area, is looking for a suitable storage site in the town while the vehicles are not being used.

Sarah Holmes, the Crediton co-ordinator for Mid Devon Mobility, formerly both Tiverton and Crediton Community Transport, explained: “We currently have two offices, one based in the Multi Storey Car Park in Phoenix Lane, Tiverton and one in Church View, Union Road, Crediton, where we run our various transport schemes from.

“This includes a Ring and Ride Service, Passenger Club, Wheelchair Accessible Transport and a Community Car Scheme.

“At present, we have six 15-seater minibuses and three smaller wheelchair accessible vehicles.

“These are used daily to carry out various transport journeys that help the local elderly, disabled, vulnerable and isolated community of Tiverton and Crediton.

“We transport passengers to important hospital/doctor appointments, day care, various days out, lunch clubs and generally just to socialise and improve people’s quality of life and independence.

“In the past, our Crediton based vehicles (three minibuses and one wheelchair accessible car) have been stored at the Crediton Hospital, Downes Crediton Golf Club and Tesco Car Park and for this, we are extremely grateful.

“However, currently, with limited parking space at the Tesco car park we need to find a new location to store our vehicles…Can you help?

“We normally operate the vehicles, Monday to Friday, with the occasional evenings and weekends, so it would mainly mean them being stored overnight.

“Ideally, we would like to find a venue where all four vehicles could be kept together, but understand this might not be possible as space may be an issue, so would be willing to split them if we needed to.”

Sarah added: “As we are a charity we are really hoping a company/organisation will help and work together with us.

“In return we will happily promote your business/company and can offer some advertising space on our vehicles.”

If you can help, please contact Sarah on 01363 773303.

STILL OPERATING

Mid Devon Mobility is still running its services and is adhering to restrictions and social distancing.

Recently it has taken passengers to Derriford Hospital at Plymouth, to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital as well as for appointments at a number of doctors surgeries, Crediton Hospital and Tiverton Hospital.

School runs have also begun and hand sanitiser and face masks are being used for car passengers and school children.

Driver Daryn Kingdom, along with Andrew Drayton, from Crediton Tesco have been collecting shopping for the Ring and Ride passengers and delivering this to those in the villages.